23a (כ״ג:א׳)

That the blessing which presently flows (שֶׁהַבְּרָכָה הַמֻּשְׁפַּעַת עַתָּה) comes from the power of the seven wandering stars (בָּאָה מִכֹּחַ הַז׳ כּוֹכְבֵי לֶכֶת), which receive influence from the seven sefirot (שֶׁהֵן מְקַבְּלוֹת הַשְׁפָּעָה מֵהַז׳ סְפִירוֹת), which are beneath those three higher ones (שֶׁהֵן לְמַטָּה מֵאֵלוּ הַג׳), each of which imparts influence to a single celestial sphere (שֶׁכָּל אֶחָד מֵהֶם מַשְׁפִּיעַ עַל גַּלְגַּל אֶחָד), in the following manner (בַּזֶּה הָאֹפֶן): Chesed to the sphere of Shabbtai (Saturn) (חֶסֶד בְּגַּלְגַּל שַׁבְּתַאִי), which is the progeny of Avraham (תּוֹלְדוֹת אַבְרָהָם), and from this side the quality of Chesed belongs to Avraham (וּמִצַּד זֶה מִדַּת חֶסֶד הִיא שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם), from whom Yisrael began (שֶׁמִּמֶּנּוּ הִתְחִילוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל). And when they do not fulfill the will of (Makom) The Omnipresent (וּכְשֶׁאֵינָם עוֹשִׂים רְצוֹנוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם), they fall under the house of Shabbtai (Saturn) (הֵם תַּחַת בֵּית שַׁבְּתַאִי), for in this house and under this constellation (שֶׁבַּזֶּה הַבַּיִת וּבַזֶּה הַמַּזָּל) slaves are given over (נְתוּנִים הָעֲבָדִים).

And for this reason our forefathers had to descend into Egypt to be enslaved (וּלְזֹאת הַסִּיבָּה נִצְטָרֵךְ שֶׁיֵּרְדוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ לְמִצְרַיִם לִהְיוֹת מְשֻׁעְבָּדִים), and afterward Hashem, may He be blessed, brought them out from there to serve Him (וְאַחַר כָּךְ הוֹצִיאָם ה׳ יִתְבָּרֵךְ מִשָּׁם לַעֲבוֹדָתוֹ), because it is necessary that they be slaves (לְפִי שֶׁבְּהֶכְרֵחַ הוּא שֶׁיִּהְיוּ עֲבָדִים). Only that The Holy One Blessed Be He took them out from under that constellation (אֶלָּא שֶׁהקב״ה הוֹצִיאָם מִתַּחַת אוֹתוֹ מַזָּל), and did not remove all the power that that constellation had over Yisrael (וְלֹא הֵסִיר כָּל הַכֹּחַ שֶׁהָיָה לָזֶה הַמַּזָּל עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל), but rather said Hashem: “For to Me are the children of Yisrael slaves” (אֶלָּא אָמַר הקב״ה ״כִּי לִי בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבָדִים״) (Leviticus 25). The meaning is: since the Mazal compels the children of Yisrael to be slaves (הַכַּוָּנָה הִיא, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהַמַּזָּל מְחַיֵּב שֶׁיִּהְיוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבָדִים), I desire that this slavery which the constellation imposes upon them be fulfilled (אֲנִי רוֹצֶה שֶׁזֶּה הָעֲבָדוּת שֶׁמְּחַיֵּב הַמַּזָּל עֲלֵיהֶם יִתְקַיֵּם), in that they be My slaves and not slaves to Shabbtai (Saturn) (בְּשֶׁיִּהְיוּ לִי עֲבָדִים וְלֹא עֲבָדִים לְשַׁבְּתַאִי), who - along with all the stars - are My slaves (שֶׁהוּא וְכָל שְׁאָר הַכּוֹכָבִים עֲבָדִים לִי). And this is what the verse says: “For to Me are the children of Yisrael slaves” (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב ״כִּי לִי בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבָדִים״) (Leviticus 25), as our Sages said: “And not slaves to slaves” (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִ״ל ״וְלֹא עֲבָדִים לַעֲבָדִים״).

And this too is what the verse says: “I am Hashem your God who took you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of slaves” (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב גַּם כֵּן ״אָנֹכִי ה׳ אֱלֹקֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִיךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים״) (Exodus 20) meaning, He did not only bring them out of Egypt but also from under the house of Shabbtai (Saturn) (שֶׁהַכַּוָּנָה הִיא, שֶׁלֹּא הוֹצִיאָם מִמִּצְרַיִם בִּלְבַד, אֶלָּא גַּם כֵּן מִתַּחַת בֵּית שַׁבְּתַאִי), which required that they be slaves (שֶׁהָיָה מְחַיֵּב עֲלֵיהֶם שֶׁיִּהְיוּ עֲבָדִים). And The Holy One Blessed Be He desired that this slavery be fulfilled (וְהקב״ה רָצָה שֶׁיִּתְקַיֵּם זֶה הָעֲבָדוּת), in that they be slaves to the Torah, which is above in the quality of Binah (בְּשֶׁיִּהְיוּ עֲבָדִים לַתּוֹרָה שֶׁהִיא לְמַעְלָה בְּמִדַּת בִּינָה). And this is what David, peace be upon him, hinted when he said: “I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant” (וְזֶה מַה שֶּׁרָמַז לָנוּ דָּוִד ע״ה בְּמַה שֶּׁאָמַר ״אֲנִי עַבְדְּךָ בֶּן אֲמָתֶךָ״) (Psalms 116), his intent being to say that he had once been under the sphere of Shabbtai (Saturn) (שֶׁכַּוָּנָתוֹ לוֹמַר שֶׁהוּא הָיָה מִתְּחִלָּה תַּחַת גַּלְגַּל שַׁבְּתַאִי), but now: “You have loosed my bonds” (אֲבָל עַתָּה ״פִּתַּחְתָּ לְמוֹסְרָי״) - You have brought me out from under that slavery (שֶׁהוֹצֵאתַנִי מִתַּחַת אוֹתוֹ עֲבָדוּת), and made me a servant to You and not to any constellation (וְשַׂמְתַּנִי לְעֶבֶד לְךָ וְלֹא לְשׁוּם מַזָּל). And this is what he said: “To You I shall offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and in the Name of Hashem I shall call” (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר ״לְךָ אֶזְבַּח זֶבַח תּוֹדָה, וּבְשֵׁם ה׳ אֶקְרָא״) (Psalms 116) not in the name of the constellations, for they have no authority over me (לֹא בְּשֵׁם הַמַּזָּלוֹת שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם שְׁלִיטָה עָלַי), but to You I offer (אֶלָּא לְךָ אֶזְבַּח), and I shall call - like a servant who calls in the name of his Master (וְאֶקְרָא כְּעֶבֶד שֶׁקּוֹרֵא בְּשֵׁם רַבּוֹ).

And now I will reveal to you a great secret regarding “When you acquire a Hebrew servant…” etc., “And in the seventh year he shall go out free without payment” (וְעַתָּה אֲגַלֶּה לְךָ סוֹד גָּדוֹל עַל ״כִּי תִקְנֶה עֶבֶד עִבְרִי״ וְגוֹ׳ ״וּבַשְּׁבִעִת יֵצֵא לַחָפְשִׁי חִנָּם״) That it should be seen (שֶׁיֵּשׁ לִרְאוֹת), since Hashem, may He be blessed, brought them out of Egypt (כֵּיוָן שֶׁהוֹצִיאָם ה׳ יִתְבָּרֵךְ מִמִּצְרַיִם), with the intention that there should no longer be among them a Hebrew slave (לַכַּוָּנָה שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה בָהֶם עוֹד עֶבֶד עִבְרִי), how then can it be that they should again have slaves? (אִם כֵּן אֵיךְ אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיִּהְיוּ בָהֶם עֲבָדִים), for when they are slaves, it is necessary that they be under Shabbtai (Saturn) (שֶׁבְּהִיוֹתָם עֲבָדִים הֶכְרֵחַ שֶׁיִּהְיוּ תַּחַת שַׁבְּתַאִי).

Therefore the verse later states that he shall serve only six years (לְכָךְ אָמַר הַכָּתוּב אַחַר כָּךְ שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲבֹד אֶלָּא שֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים), because Shabbtai (Saturn) completes his revolution without a year (לְפִי שֶׁשַׁבְּתַאִי סוֹבֵב גַּלְגַּלוֹ בְּלֹא שָׁנָה), and since he serves only six years, Shabbtai (Saturn) cannot complete his full revolution of thirty years over him to be called his servant (וּכֵיוָן שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹבֵד אֶלָּא ו׳ שָׁנִים לֹא יָכוֹל שַׁבְּתַאִי לְסוֹבֵב כָּל גַּלְגַּלוֹ שֶׁהוּא ל׳ שָׁנָה עָלָיו, לְשֶׁיֵּקָרֵא עַבְדּוֹ). And if you ask, if so, why was he allowed to serve for six years? He could just as well have served longer than six so long as it wasn’t thirty (וְאִם תֹּאמַר, אִם כֵּן לָמָּה הָיוּ שֵׁשׁ גַּם כֵּן הָיָה יָכוֹל לַעֲבֹד יוֹתֵר מִו׳ וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲבֹד ל׳).

Know that all our reckonings are by sevens (דַּע, כִּי כָּל חֶשְׁבּוֹנֵינוּ הֵם שְׁבִיעִיּוֹת), until the Yovel (Jubilee) which is seven shemittot (עַד הַיּוֹבֵל שֶׁהוּא ז׳ שְׁמִטִּין), at which time all the slaves go free - even the one who had his ear pierced (שֶׁאָז הָיוּ כָּל הָעֲבָדִים יוֹצְאִים, אֲפִלּוּ הַנִּרְצָע). And the reason that Hashem, may He be blessed, commanded that one be pierced is for two reasons (וְהַסִּיבָּה שֶׁצִּוָּה ה׳ יִתְבָּרֵךְ שֶׁיְּהֵא נִרְצָע הִיא לִשְׁתֵּי סִיבוֹת).

First, to be marked and have a sign among the others (הָאַחַת - לִהְיוֹתוֹ רָשׁוּם וְשֶׁיְּהֵא לוֹ סִימָן בֵּין הָאֲחֵרִים); and second, because he heard at Sinai: “For to Me the children of Yisrael are slaves,” as our Sages said (וְהַשֵּׁנִי - לְפִי שֶׁשָּׁמַע בְּסִינַי ״כִּי לִי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבָדִים״ כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִ״ל). And the reason he is brought before the judges and not pierced in his master's house (וְהַטַּעַם שֶׁמַּקְרִיבִין אוֹתוֹ לִפְנֵי הַדַּיָּנִים וְלֹא הָיָה הָאָדוֹן רוֹצְעוֹ בְּבֵיתוֹ) is because the judges, the Sanhedrin, needed to see to it (לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ צְרִיכִים שֶׁיִּרְאוּ הַדַּיָּנִים שֶׁהֵם הַסַּנְהֶדְרִין) that this servant not remain through an entire revolution of Shabbtai (Saturn) (שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲבֹר עַל זֶה הָעֶבֶד כָּל סִיבוּב גַּלְגַּל שַׁבְּתַאִי).

For if this servant began serving at the beginning of Shabbtai’s revolution, they could not pierce [his ear] (וְאִם הָיָה זֶה הָעֶבֶד הִתְחִיל לַעֲבֹד בִּתְחִלַּת סִיבוּב הַגַּלְגַּל - לֹא הָיוּ יְכוֹלִים לִרְצוֹעַ אוֹתוֹ); or if he would remain until Yovel (Jubilee) and the full revolution passed (אוֹ אִם הָיָה בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁמִּשֶּׁהִתְחִיל לַעֲבֹד עַד הַיּוֹבֵל יַעֲבֹר עָלָיו כָּל גַּלְגַּל שַׁבְּתַאִי), they also could not pierce him (גַּם כֵּן לֹא הָיוּ יְכוֹלִים לִרְצוֹעַ אוֹתוֹ). And for this reason also the sign of the piercing was so that they would not leave him to serve beyond the Yovel (וְלָזֶה גַּם כֵּן הָיָה הַסִּימָן מֵהָרְצִיעָה - שֶׁלֹּא יַנִּיחוּ אוֹתוֹ לַעֲבֹד אַחַר הַיּוֹבֵל), in order that he not pass under the entire revolution of that sphere (כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲבוֹר עָלָיו כָּל סִיבוּב הַגַּלְגַּל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְתִּי). And when they did not let the slaves go free, The Holy One Blessed Be He exacted retribution from them (וּכְשֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ מַנִּיחִים הָעֲבָדִים לָצֵאת - הָיָה הקב״ה נִפְרָע מֵהֶם), as it is written in Yirmeyahu in the parashah “I made a covenant with your fathers…” etc (כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בִּירְמְיָהוּ בְּפָרָשַׁת ״אָנֹכִי כָּרַתִּי בְּרִית אֶת אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם״ וְגוֹ׳) (Jeremiah 34).

And with this we have explained how the quality of Chesed was with the sphere of Shabbtai (Saturn) (וְעִם זֶה פֵּרַשְׁנוּ אֵיךְ מִדַּת חֶסֶד הָיְתָה עִם גַּלְגַּל שַׁבְּתַאִי). And beneath it is Gevurah, and with it the sphere of Ma’adim (Mars) (וּלְמַטָּה מִמֶּנָּה גְּבוּרָה, וְעִמָּהּ גַּלְגַּל מַאֲדִים), the progeny of Yitzchak (תּוֹלְדוֹת יִצְחָק), Elohim, rock (אֱלֹקִים, צוּר), fear, serpent, night, cloud, and mist (פַּחַד, נָחָשׁ, לַיְלָה, עָנָן, עֲרָפֶל) to afflict Yisrael when they abandon the paths of the Torah (לְיַסֵּר יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּשֶׁיַּעַזְבוּ דַּרְכֵי הַתּוֹרָה) and enter under the constellations that Hashem, may He be blessed, distanced them from (וְיִיכָּנְסוּ תַּחַת הַמַּזָּלוֹת שֶׁהִרְחִיקָם ה׳ יִתְבָּרֵךְ מֵהֶם). And they fear and are afraid of the nations who dwell among them (וְהֵם מְפַחֲדִים וִירֵאִים מֵהָאֻמּוֹת שֶׁיוֹשְׁבִים בְּתוֹכָם), in exile, which is likened to night, cloud, and mist (בַּגָּלוּת שֶׁהוּא נִמְשָׁל לְלַיְלָה, עָנָן וַעֲרָפֶל) - these being the elements found in this quality (שֶׁהֵם הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּזוֹ הַמִּדָּה). And they also enter into the judgment of Gehinom (וְגַם הֵם נִכְנָסִים תַּחַת מִשְׁפַּט גֵּיהִנּוֹם), from which The Holy One Blessed Be He shall rescue them (שֶׁהקב״ה יַצִּיל אוֹתָם מִמֶּנּוּ), as He promised Avraham Avinu (כְּמוֹ שֶׁהִבְטִיחַ לְאַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ). And beneath it is Tiferet, and with it the sphere of Tzedek (Jupiter) (וּלְמַטָּה מִמֶּנָּה תִּפְאֶרֶת, וְעִמָּהּ גַּלְגַּל צֶדֶק), the progeny of Ya'akov (תּוֹלְדוֹת יַעֲקֹב), Yisrael, Emet (יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֱמֶת), and it is written: “You shall give truth to Ya'akov” (וּכְתוּב ״תִּתֵּן אֱמֶת לְיַעֲקֹב״) (Micah 7).